Worth a Read Too

Photo by Tania Diaz In the summer of 2016, I was brimming with energy to change the world! I was in my second missionary internship after recently graduating from college with an undergraduate degree in English Writing. Upon my return for the fall semester, I was going to start a graduate degree in Social Work.  So, one can imagine my enthusiasm when my supervisor took my roommate/co-intern and me to our first protest. It was a Black Lives Matter rally and I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived, our supervisor warned us that if the police showed up and things got out of hand, we should run. She spoke as casually as a mother repeating house rules to her kids. I heard her warning, but I’ll be honest that I was distracted. The writer, and future social worker, in me wanted to soak in every little detail. The crowd gathered before a house turned community center. Surprisingly (to me at the time), there was a diverse crowd, from black community members to supp

Photo by  Jess Watters  from  Pixabay I don’t know how it happens for other people, but I remember the specific moment I realized I loved myself. A couple of years ago, I had the worst year of my life. I won’t go into details as that could fill a book of its own. Let’s just say my self-esteem was the lowest it has ever been. As I drove to group therapy, Demi Lovato’s song “Sober” started playing on my radio. I parked just as I heard the last line of the song about apologizing to herself. I immediately started bawling. The line triggered an image in my mind’s eye, which you might find odd. Just bear with me. I pictured myself standing tall, looking my best all dressed up and well-groomed. Walking towards me was another version of myself. I’ll refer to that second me as “she” to avoid confusion. She was dressed in days old clothing and her head was down in shame. She also had her arms crossed over her torso, as if she was hugging herself. Concerned, I met her h